Tag Archives: Felony

If you or someone you know has been falsely accused of a crime,
please contact Save Our Heroes.

This animated video describes the obstacles faced by military members who are wrongly or falsely accused of sexual assault. From the recent changes to the UCMJ to the barriers built around the alleged victim, wrongly and falsely accused service members face an uphill battle defending themselves. Court-martial defense lawyer Will M. Helixon, with decades of experience as a sex crimes prosecutor, can team with the military detailed counsel to level the playing field and defend the rights of the wrongly and falsely accused. (www.helixongroup.com)

“It seems like more and more gang members joined in order to get free military training and gain new skills that they can use when they are back in their street gangs. This epidemic of gang members in the US army, marines and even the navy is getting worse. It seems like the background checks aren’t that accurate and can’t always detect who’s legit vs who’s a criminal.”

Micah Johnson, a US Army Reserve veteran, is accused of gunning down and murdering five Dallas police officers during a Black Lives Matter Event on July 7, 2016. This is considered one of the deadliest attacks on police officers since September 11, 2001. He was eventually killed in a stand off with police. In recent media reports we learned that Micah Johnson deployed to Afghanistan from November 2013 to July 2014. He was accused of sexual harassment while deployed to Afghanistan in May 2014. He was accused of stalking and stealing women’s underwear as well. The victim sought a protection order and told superiors he needed mental health treatment. The protection order was granted and the Commanding officer recommended an Other Than Honorable discharge and sent him home early from his deployment to Afghanistan. Johnson’s military attorney stated that this kind of punishment is unusual for an isolated incident of sexual harassment. As part of a tentative agreement, it was recommended that Johnson receive a general discharge which saves the Army time and resources needed to discharge soldiers under Other Than Honorable conditions. Instead he was eventually released from the Army with a honorable discharge in April 2015.

As a result of his actions while serving, he was not investigated and prosecuted but instead sent back home from overseas and discharged from the US Army Reserves honorably. Although we have limited information in which to base conclusions, at first glance this looks like a case of escalation of predatory behavior that starts with sexual harassment, progresses to stalking, then the individual gets brazen and starts breaking and entering to steal his victims belongings. It would only be a matter of time before the individual escalated to sexual assault, rape and then murder. It’s too early to make a definitive conclusion as we are still waiting for information to come in because this story is developing. But one thing we do know is that the US Army Reserves took the easy way out, booted Micah Johnson from the military to protect it’s service members, and unleashed him on society with no warning or records. This case is another reason why we need the military to investigate and process each and every case through the legal system so we at least have a fighting chance at prevention and escalation of crimes. If the military can’t handle or afford to investigate and prosecute each case to determine the soldier’s danger to society, then maybe they should hand over the investigation and prosecution of crimes to the civilians. This isn’t the first case they let slip through the cracks and it certainly won’t be the last.

As the funerals for the slain Dallas police officers continue, the investigation into the background and motive of Dallas shooter, Micah Johnson, continues. The US Army has opened an investigation into Johnson’s military service. Johnson reportedly spent six years in the Army Reserves and was accused of sexual harassment while serving. RT America’s Manuel Rapalo reports from Dallas, where police are also investigating claims that Johnson purchased an AK-47 off of Facebook for $600 before the shooting. -RT America

TSgt Zechariah Casagranda, Barksdale Air Force Base, US Air Force, was murdered in the rear parking lot of the Rockin Rodeo in Bossier City, Louisiana at 2:00 a.m. on January 24, 2016. The 34 year old airman was stabbed during an altercation involving two groups of men at the night club. Bossier City Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit detectives arrested 21 year old Benjamin William Shaw of Killeen, Texas in connection with the fatal stabbing. Shaw is facing a charge of second degree murder. Shaw posted $500,000 bond and was released to the custody of his parents in Naples, Maine.

Louisiana authorities made Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department in Maine aware of the case and they were asked to periodically check in on Shaw. But other local officials are concerned that they were not notified and are not sure why he was allowed to travel to Maine. According to WMTW, Shaw can’t leave Cumberland County, except to meet with his attorney or for court appearances. He has to surrender his passport, can’t have firearms or weapons, and can’t have contact with the victim’s family. Shaw must also report to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office weekly.

Benjamin Shaw’s family hired a high-profiled attorney, Jose Baez, who also represented Casey Anthony in Florida. Shaw was found not guilty of second degree murder in June 2017.

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson: On July 30, 2010, the 673d Air Base Wing activated as the host wing combining installation management functions of Elmendorf Air Force Base’s 3rd Wing and U.S. Army Garrison Fort Richardson and consists of four groups that operate and maintain the Joint Base for air sovereignty, combat training, force staging and through output operations in support of worldwide contingencies. The installation hosts the headquarters for the United States Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, U.S. Army Alaska, and the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region. The 673 ABW comprises of 5,500 joint military and civilian personnel, supporting America’s Arctic Warriors and their families. The wing supports and enables three Air Force total-force wings, two Army brigades and 75 associate and tenant units.

Shareef Abdullah, US Army (2015): Convicted of of sexual assault and abusive sexual contact; reduced to E-1, confined for six years, and dishonorably discharged.

Alexander Denson, US Army (2015): Convicted of false official statement, aggravated sexual assault, assault with force likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm, simple assault and communicating a threat; reduced to E-1, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confined for 68 months, and bad-conduct discharge.

Dakota Simmons, US Army (2015): Convicted of willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer and assault consummated by a battery upon a child under the age of 16; confined for 34 months and 15 days and bad-conduct discharge.

Jeremiah Smith, US Army (2015): Convicted of failure to obey a regulation and false official statement; acquitted of maltreatment and abusive sexual contact; reduced to E-7.

Timothy Worlds, US Army (2015): Convicted of aggravated assault and assault consummated by a battery; acquitted of sexual assault and maiming; reduced to E-1, confined for 23 months and bad-conduct discharge.

Army veteran Jacques Garcia, 38, is accused of shooting and killing Manuel Trejo, 41, in a parking lot in Austin, Texas on March 28, 2015. Garcia has been charged with first degree felony murder and a third-degree felony of evading in a motor vehicle. Garcia’s bond for the murder charge was set at $250,000 and $20,000 for the evading arrest charge.

Anyone with any information about the shooting is asked to call the Homicide Tip Line at 512-477-3588 or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS or text “Tip 103” + your message to CRIMES.

An undercover investigation for National Geographic explores the availability of powerful synthetic drugs, with names like “spice” and “bath salts,” and its popularity among members of the U.S. military. For the next installment of National Geographic’s “Inside: Secret America” series, which takes an in-depth look at how people can easily purchase synthetic drugs, investigative journalist Mariana van Zeller went undercover with a former Marine and a Marine on active duty in San Diego to local smoke shops as they purchased bath salts.